Comparing the coexpression networks of alcoholics and non-alcoholics, in terms of lifetime consumption, we identified a coordinated set of multiple factors underlying synaptic dysregulation in disease. The identified groups of coexpression modules were further evaluated against genome wide association studies (GWAS) for alcohol dependence, the Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Alcoholism (COGA) and the Study of Addiction: Genetics and Environment (SAGE), to asses whether these gene sets were applicable to a larger cohort of afflicted individuals. Group1 of the GMs linked to lifetime consumption of alcohol was the only expression ensemble significantly enriched for genes containing single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with alcohol dependence (Fig. 5), suggesting genes within this cohort may have a decisive affect on the development of an alcohol use disorder. The coordinated network structure of alcohol drinking behavior for GMs in Group1 is set apart from generalized differential expression in disease status, emphasizing the network schema of a designated phenotype over non-specific changes in gene expression for alcoholism.
